Simulated golf game



NOV. 18, 1952 E, a GRQGAN 2,618,482

SIMULATED GOLF' GAME Filed July 31, 1948 4 l L5] [EP/m4 2f@ 4W BY Fi .5 F356 wif/M42@ Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vSIMULATED GOLFGAME `Edward B. Grogan, Columbus, Ohio .Application July/31, 1948, Serial No. 41,783

3 Claims. l

My invention relates to a game simulating golf which can be played indoors on .a y'game Yboard which resembles a scalemodel of a regular golf course.

-I am aware that other games have been devised in the past for playing golf indoors but most of these games have been verycumbersome and thus uninteresting due to the complicated nature and the articial rules to be iollowed. These prior art'gamesinvolve the rolling of dice, spinning of wheels and other-pure chance operations which greatly detracted from thefenjoyment of the'game by persons acquainted and experienced in playing reg-ular golf. Some of the prior art patents disclose devices for playing the game. of golf in such a complicated manner and with such complicated toolsthat all of the fun is taken out of the game and'for this reason not too many of them have been successful. lFor example, in the prior art some of the games employ slice and hook indicators and others employ distance devices which are soforeign to the game that it becomes armere chance proposition and does Anot utilize any of the players. skill.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide asimulated-/golf game which 4can be played indoors but still calls for skill on the partof the players, which they have-built/up by, playing regular golf.

Another object of my invention isto -provide -agame that can bequicklylearnedbythe inexperiencedplayers` and enjoyedto the same extent -as more experienced golfers.

Another object of my invention is to provide a golf game having -a .playing surface Yand a minimum number of tools for playing the game, thus making playing it a simple rather than-a complex operation.

Another object ofmy invention is to provide a golf gamewhich can be played `insuch a mannerA that actual golf playing-conditions are presented, thus making it more interestinggtothe real-golfer, be he dub or prof Another object offmy invention iste-provide asimulated golf game which presents problems that arise on the actual coursecand; calls forskill on thepart ofthe; playerrather than the mere chance result obtained by; spinning awh'eel `or casting dice.

Another object ofrmy inventionlis to provide a golf` game for indoor playingthat has ahumber ofrplayingsurfaces or :coursesfcalling .for different l shot making just .asf does* the regular golf gamevwhen' the player .ison .a foreign course.

Another object of my invention is lto Vprovide a golf game designed to correspond with the game played by Nthe average golfer rather than the confirmed dub or the expert Another object of'my invention is to provide card members `with perforations Ytherein which indicatethe shot just played without the necessity of measuring off the shot on the rsimulated golf course.

Other objects and advantages will beapparent-'from the following description andthe drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate-,corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure -l is a top plan view of a golf course layout showing thevarious holes, traps and other hazards'which the golfer must overcome in playing the game.

Figure 2 is one of a series of perforatedrectangular cards which 'are utilized in the playing ofthe game.

VFigure 3 is another card used-in playing the game-but with different shots corresponding to the perforations inthe card shown thereon.

Figure 'iis a third rectangular cardusedin playing: the game showing another group of shots represented ,by the perforations and the club number adjacent thereto.

Figure -5 is a playing piece called a stance indicator which is aligned before each shot `thus showing the :direction in which the player wishes to proceed from the tee.

`Figure 6 is a small ball headed pin used in the game to represent the golf ball as used in the regularl game.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view of `the cardsshown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, but-,showing in more detail the shots from the rough and the shots from trees-and traps.

'.Referring to the drawings more particularly` to Figure l, I show a Vplaying board surface-I vcomprising a 'drawing of a golf course having nine holes' laid vout thereon. The golf course is aplan View showing the tees, rough, fairway, traps, streams and greens in the usual position.

The method of'playing the game is described as follows. Each player, and there can -be any numberV from one to four, 'five V`or six` playing; vat the same timesselectsa ball as illustrated injFigure I'6 of v,the drawings, and Vplaces .the ball -on the rst tee ,shown in the lower righth'andzcorner of Figure 1 vofthe drawings,-,thenjtheplayers successively* place ,i the .stance indicator s 2` ign-.fthe direction in which they deem .itadvisable to. play th'efholeconfronting them. After the `stance indicator 2 has been directionally aligned on the playing board at the proper tee it is then incumbent upon the player to choose a club or indicate what club he is interested in using on that particular shot and then he either cuts the cards, of which there are a plurality, of the type shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and '7, to iind out what the result is of the shot he has first played. The card is placed against the stance indicator as shown in Figure 1 so that the base of the triangle formed in the lower end of the card ts against the stance indicator.

The cards shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 7, have a number of perforations or holes formed therein at Varying distances from the lower end of the card and at varying positions on the card forming no set pattern with respect `to the card as a whole. Beside each one of the perforations is a number representing a golf club both irons and woods. The woods are differentiated from the irons in that they have a circle around the number and generally the woods are the greatest distance from the bottom of the card, thus indicating greater distance on the course as is normally the rule in golf. The various clubs, both irons and woods, deviate from the center line of the card, thus giving a diverse assortment of shots as is also usual of the average golfers game. In other words, the playing cards 3 take care of the shots with reference to the direction and distance without alluding to any other measuring devices. The stance indicator forces the player to indicate in which direction he intends to play his shot and then when the card is chosen at random from the deck it is placed as previously stated, against the indicator and the ball 4 is placed in the farthest end of the hole 3a, corresponding to the number of club for which the player called. As will be seen on the course shown in Figure l, each hole has a yardage legend under the number of the hole and the par is also set out thereon. Each card also has distances measured out at the sides thereof so as to enable the players to pick the proper club to play the remaining distance to the hole. After the ball is placed at the far end of the oval opening 3a in the card at the proper club called for the card is removed and the player then decides what club he believes necessary to reach the green on his next shot. Here again the stance indicator is employed, pointing in the proper direction, and then a second card is selected after the proper club` has been called for and made known to the other players by the player shooting at that time and the second selected card is placed on the spot where the ball has been driven and the ball is then advanced to the opening in the second card corresponding to the proper club which he calls for previous to the selecting of the card. In the event that the player is fortunate enough to reach the green, the number of putts is added to the score previously taken prior to reaching the green. On the green it will be noted that there are at least three circles, the inside one of which means that the player holed out from his last shot and does not add anything to his score. However, the next larger circle necessitates the adding of one putt to 'the score While the next counts for two putts and the fourth calls for the adding of three putts to the previously used strokes. If our player has reached the green with his second shot and has reached the space within the third circle his score would be 4, thus he would par the hole. However, if the card places his ball in the fourth circle his score would be five, or one over par for the distance.

Each player then takes his turn and using the same tactics as the player just described, reaches the green in like manner. Some of the cards, however, such as card 3 shown in Figure 2, do not place the ball in as fortunate a position as would the card shown in Figure l, had the player selected the driver or No. 1 wood as the club he desired to use off the tee. For example, if the player had elected to place his stance indicator 2 pointing more to the left instead of straight down the fairway as in that case, the ball would have ended up in the trap T shown to the left of hole No. 1 in Figure 1 of the drawing. Or if the player had selected some other club than the driver or No. 1 wood, for example had he selected the No. 3 wood or spoon, he would have ended up in the creek. Had he played it safe and used an iron club he would have either ended up in the fairway F as do five of the irons shown in Figure 1, or he might have ended up in the rough R to the right of the fairway as shown by the perforation in the card.

For shots out of trouble or hazards such as traps, rough, and trees, the game greatly simulates the real golf game because there is a chance to gamble as does every average golfer when he faces these hazards during his regular tour of the course.

To show what can happen if the ball ends up in the rough, in a trap, or behind trees, I have illus trated in Figure 7 penalty strokes which greatly resemble what happens when the actual golf game is being played. It will be understood that this indicia showing shots from the rough and shots from trees and traps will appear on every one of the cards used in playing the gaine, but in an effort to keep down the size of the card shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, I did not try to place these schedules on each of those cards in the drawing. I believe it will be clear from the following description just what the shots from the hazards involve.

For the purpose of illustration of the penalty shots I wish to indicate on hole No. 1, Figure l of the drawings just what the various portions of the golf course are by placing indicating references thereon. I have already numbered the traps as T and I will, therefore, number the fairway portion by the letter F, the rough R, trees S, and creek C. It is understood that all shots from the fairway are not to be penalized and any club may be selected for shooting to the green without penalty. However, when the ball comes to rest either in the rough, in the trees, or in the traps, certain precautions must be taken by the player in this game as well as in an actual game of golf. Referring to Figure 7, let us say that one of the players reached the trap T indicated in Figure 1. Since he is still quite a Way from the green he may deem it necessary to use a wood club and if he so elects, use of either the l, 2, or 3 wood would lose him a stroke and his ball would remain in the same position. This result is obtained by referring to the indicia at the lower right hand corner of the card described and shown in Figure 7. In the section entitled Shots From Trees and Traps it will be seen that the use of any wooden club would have resulted in a lost stroke as indicated by the letters L S on the card illustrated in Figure 7. Had the player used any of the iron clubs shown in this portion of the card, they would have been good as indicated by the letter G following the numbers to 6, inclusive, referring to the irons. Each of the cards are different with regard to the penalties either acreage fromtherough or shotsffromthe traps and trees.

-Ifa player gambles,`he is moreV likely to be penalized 4than if he chooses .the proper club as he Awould in the regular golf game on a regular Since the card illustrated in Figure 7 course. shows that he has lost a stroke, it Iwill then be illustrated in Figure 'I `of the drawing. It is understood that the other cards would have differentpenalties or rewards, depending on the nature of each particular card. The shots from the rough, trees andtraps are just as diverse on each card as are-the normal Shots taken on the card from the tees. -If our player had velected to use any 'iron from a Iironto a 6 iron, card 'I .indicates that the shot would be good and he could refer -to the perforations 3a in the card to find just Where the ball landed after he has lined it up with the stance indicator as previously described. This, in effect, simulates actually what happens in a golf game since it is always dangerous to use a Wood or long club out of a trap or from under trees and it is usually more preferable to use a shorter distance club such as an iron and thus sacrifice the distance for accuracy.

On the same right-hand side of the card with the shots'from the traps is also a note that shots from trees arepenalized tothe same extent as a .shotfroln the trap. Of course,when the ball is placed at rest within a trap it is easy to see that it is in a trap. This is not so with regard to trees and'Ihave made a ground rule which states that when the ball comes to rest within 50 yards on the scale or within 2 inches of trees which are in the path of flight of the shot, the player plays the shot the same as if it were played out of the trap. This is again in accord with the usual playing conditions of a regular golf game, since trees and traps are for the most part equally dangerous during the execution of a shot. All of the cards give the same penalties and rewards for a shot from the trees as they do from the traps. The measuring of the ball on the course for nearness to trees can be gured by the distance indicated on any one of the cards used in playing the game.

With regard to shots from the rough, the penalties are usually not quite as severe as are those in connection with the trees and traps. From Figure 'l it will be seen that if the ball has come to rest in the rough and the player selects a I, 2, or 3 wood, indicated by the circle around the club, he will get as far with the ball as would a 3 iron shot had he played that club. In other words, the Wood shot which normally goes a greater distance for some reason or other did not carry as far as the player intended but went only as far as a 3 iron shown on any one of the cards in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The distance the ball travels is roughly 150 yards from the point where the shot was executed. However, if the player decided to use an iron club out of the rough and had he selected the I, 2, 3, or 4 iron, the ball would have traveled the distance of the 6 iron which on each of the three cards shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4 would be roughly around 100 yards. Therefore, in this particular instance a wood shot from the rough would not be penalized too much since the ball would have traveled around 50 yards farther than any one of the iron clubs, were they selected. Some of the cards, both from the rough and shots from traps and trees, would give full distance on the irons but most of them cut down on the wood shots even though it is a fairly good shot. As `inthe present instance instead .ofgetting the full distance on the I, Zand 3 woods from the.rough,the shot would cut down the 'regular distance of that club to the distance of a 3,iron. This is fairly common in playing real golf tohave a wood shot from a hazard or .rough becauser'fof lthe heavier grass being less thanthe actual ydistance if it were hit from the fairway or .fromia tee. Here again I simulate the real game tof golf to a degree not heretofore obtained in vother indoor golf games. As stated above, each ofthe cards 2, 3, and 4, also contain legends having .to do with shots obtained from the rough and also shots from trees. These shots vary just as do the shots indicated by the `perforations onthe card.

lIt is understood that the cards contain only the one set of perforations as shown in Figures 2,3, and 4, and the schedule of shots with reference to the hazards above described merely set out the distances and the Aplayer uses the regular :perforations 3A of the Acard which he has selected.

'In allcontroversy, such as the distance .from

`the trees and the fringes of traps and in :the

rough, the decision is always against the player and if a ball landson a line of the rough .or fringe of the'trap, or on a ,line 2 inches from-a ygroup oftrees, the ball is resolved to have reached the hazard and the player must play the shot accordingly. The same rule is in effect on the green where a ball lands on a circle line it is to'be resolved against the player and the strokes are `to be calculated as if the ball was back of the line or in the next higher circle count.

All shots played in the fairway are not penal ized and any club may be used. All the shots played from the rough can vbe played without penalty if the 5, 6, l, 8, 9, and I@ irons are used, but when the woods I, 2, and 3, or the irons I, 2, 3, and 4, are used, the ball is placed as indicated on the shot play card shown in the legend at the bottom lower or right-hand corners of the card. depending on what type of shot was played. By this is meant that when the ball is around the green and only a short distance is needed to reach the green, the player goes through the same operations of directing the stance indicator card and then would naturally choose an iron having a generally short distance indicated thereon and then would select a card at random as previously described. It is, of course, the object of the game to point all of the shots so that it Will end up in the inner circle on the green in an effort to keep the score down, as is the object in the real golf game. However, as stated previously, once the ball reaches the green the shots are calculated from the circle in which it rests. Thus, in effect all putts are conceded, as of that number.

It will be seen from the above discussion that this game simulates actual golf as close as possible. It gives the player an unlimited selection in the choice of clubs to be used and the direction and type of shot to be made. As in actual play of golf, the results vary according to the cards drawn but the chance element is cut to a minimum and is really accounted for by the skill of the players. I have designed the cards to give the results of actual play by the average golfer varying, as in the case of the No. l Wood, from 275 yards straight down the middle of the fairway, to the dub shot just of the tee. There is also a variation from a wide slice to a wide hook. The rules of play are the same as in actual golf, with the exceptions noted previously. It is believed that the game comes as close to the actual playing of golf as is possible under the circumstances. No artificial rules are proposed and the penalty strokes from the various hazards are very similar to those one finds on the golf course. While it is possible in actual golf to play a shot out of a creek, it is suggested in this game that a ball falling in the creek or other body of water be laid out of the creek and played with an additional stroke from a point from the far side of the creek to the green.

It is believed that the drawings, above detailed description, and following claims, clearly set forth the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a game of the type described comprising a playing surface representing a golf course havlng holes laid out in scaled down relationship thereon, said playing surface also including representation of trees, fairway, rough, traps and other hazards, a stance indicator element for lining up each shot previous to its execution, a perforated card having indicia thereon for determining the results of the executed shot after the card has been aligned in proper position adjacent the stance indicator device, said card having an opening at the bottom thereof which cooperates with a straight top edge of the stance indicator.

2. A rectangular card to be used in playing a simulated golf game comprising a series of perforations formed in various positions on the card representing various shots of regular golf clubs, said perforations being marked to indicate said particular clubs, each of said perforations being formed at a distance from the bottom of the card and each perforation being diversely located with reference to the centerline of the card to indicate 8 shots which have gone olf line just as in a regular golf game, said card also including indicia for gauging penalty shots from the rough, traps, and trees, thus simulating to a great degree the regular game in this respect.

3. A rectangular card to be used in a simulated golf game comprising a series of openings formed in various positions on the card, each lopening having a number associated therewith representing the number of a golf club as used in a, regular golf game, each of said openings being located a distance from the bottom of the card thus presenting a diversity of positions into which a ball can be located, a triangular opening in the bottom of the card at the center thereof adapted to be used as an aligning means and as an opening for the placement of a ball previous to the execution of the shot.

EDWARD B. GROGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,520,081 Purnell Dec. 23, 1924 1,783,211 Baldwin Dec. 2, 1930 1,913,201 Haven June 6, 1933 2,157,172 Hays May 9, 1939 2,255,003 Rodanet Sept. 2, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 322,221 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1929 

